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Synagogue Event to Show Support for Israel

The Israel advocacy committee of Temple Sinai in Dresh­er wants to show congregants, Philadelphia and Israel how much support exists for the Jewish state.

To that end, the Conservative synagogue is welcoming Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, Consul General of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region Yaron Sideman, and a host of political and religious leaders to its “Standing United With Israel” event on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.

Rabbi Adam Wohlberg said the synagogue celebrates Israel Independence Day each year, but congregants wanted to hold a separate event to “broaden awareness that there is a great deal of support beyond just the Jewish community.”

Unless supporters of Israel attend major gatherings such as the annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Wohlberg said, “they can feel isolated.”

The event had been planned long before talk that Israel’s Foreign Ministry was considering closing the Israeli Consulate in Philadelphia — no decision has yet been reached — and before the deal was signed between Iran and Western powers over Iran’s nuclear program. But as a result of these developments, Wohlberg said, “the timing for our event couldn’t be better.”

“As far as the decision to relax the sanctions on Iran,” he said, “I think it’s important to recognize that we who love Israel in the American Jewish community will always stand up for her even when certain government decisions may not be in her favor.”

Other dignitaries slated to attend the event, which is open to the whole community, include State Sen. Anthony Williams, Bishop Shawn Bartley of True United Church, Rabbi Saul Grife of Beth Tikvah B’nai Jesh­urun, Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro, and Jim Showers and the Rev. William Sutter from Friends of Israel.